The changing panorama of Victoria's historic 'Rupertswood'

The changing panorama of Victoria's historic 'Rupertswood'

Michael Moore

The Salesians of Don Bosco are an order of priests and brothers
dedicated to the care and education of young people. They were
founded by St John Bosco in 1859 in Turin, Italy, and were named
after St Francis De Sales. Many Salesians today carry out excellent
work throughout the world. Cardinal Bertone, the Vatican's newly
appointed Secretary of State and former right hand man to Cardinal
Ratzinger (now Benedict XVI), as well as Bishop Belo of East Timor,
are Salesians. Closer to home, there's our own Fr Chris Riley who
works with Sydney's street kids and Br Michael Lynch who runs the
Salesian Missions.

Salesian College "Rupertswood" in Sunbury, Victoria, is set in
spacious grounds that include the superb Victorian mansion built in
1874 by Sir William Clarke and named in honour of his son Rupert.
It boasts magnificent gardens and was an important centre of social
life in Colonial Victoria.

Eucharistic Festival

"Rupertswood" also holds a place in the great sporting rivalry
between Australia and England, as it was at "Rupertswood" that "The
Ashes" were created when the English touring side were the Clarkes'
guests in 1882.

Until the arrival of the Salesians in 1927, it was the home of
the industrialist H.V. McKay.

It was then a boarding school for boys until the 1950s, when it
first admitted day students, along with boarding, mainly to
students from rural Victoria and southern NSW. Following the
region's growth in the 1980s, the Salesians and the Archdiocese of
Melbourne agreed that from 1992 Rupertswood would be co-
educational. By 1997, Rupertswood had become fully co-educational
and boarding was discontinued.

Many will vividly recall the Annual Eucharistic Festival at
Rupertswood. This was a highlight for Melbourne's Catholics,
including Italian families. This ceased in the years following the
Second Vatican Council. In those days, many young Catholics would
meet their prospective husband or wife at this magnificent
event.

It was always an enjoyable day for all who attended. Many still
remember the family picnics, but above all the procession with the
Monstrance shining in the sunlight and Benediction of the Blessed
Sacrament. Many also remember the beautiful chapel with its
life-sized statues of St John Bosco, the young St Dominic Savio and
Australia's Patroness, Mary Help of Christians.

Although the property is still owned and managed by the
Salesians, who continue to conduct a school there, the Mansion
itself has been leased out to a private company which now runs it
as a bed and breakfast and reception centre.

While the Mansion has been magnificently restored, the school's
chapel (which is part of the Mansion) has been completely stripped
and the Blessed Sacrament removed. Couples can now stay in the
Mansion for up to $495 per night - nearly three times the price of
the Windsor Hotel in Spring Street Melbourne!

While the few remaining Salesian priests and brothers still live
on the property in a recently constructed house, on the same
property there is evidence of other happenings.

There are continued reports of civil ceremonies and non-Catholic
weddings taking place, particularly in the denuded chapel. It is
reported that "commitment" ceremonies may have taken place and that
many couples stay there on their way to Daylesford.

Recent Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show that
Catholic weddings have dropped by 60 percent since 1971, declining
from 9784 in 1971 to 4075 last year. At the same time, the number
of civil weddings has quintupled, growing from 2815 to 14,535. It
appears that Rupertswood is helping rather then hindering this
decline.

A look at the Rupertswood website tells us that their Weddings
and Accommodation packages are "an experience not to be missed" ...
The H.V McKay suite is ideally suited for the bridal party wishing
to prepare for their wedding in-house. At the appointed time the
other wedding guests arrive, greeted and shown to the ceremony
location (garden, chapel or wide verandahs ... The bridal party and
in-house guests have the opportunity to 'party on' after the
reception proper has concluded".

One can only hope this does not cause undue disturbance to their
Salesian neighbours!

Chapel's candelabra

Of even more concern is the fact that Wedding Packages are
inclusive of "original Rupertswood candelabras" (sic). These six
candelabra now used in the Reception Centre once adorned the high
altar in the chapel. They were donated to the Salesians in memory
of "Blessed Don Bosco" in the 1920s by the Moriarty Family for use
in the Chapel. I am sure the Moriarty family would be horrified to
learn that their beautiful candelabra are no longer in their
rightful place in the chapel but are on the tables in a reception
centre being used by a private business to make money.

Concerns about these unfortunate developments have been raised
with both the few Salesians still living at Rupertswood and the
Salesian Provincial House. Both have dismissed these as unimportant
and irrelevant.

What is even more ironic about this situation is the two
portraits in the Reception Room hanging side by side. One is of the
great Archbishop Daniel Mannix and one of Queen Victoria. I'm sure
Dr Mannix would have had something to say about that!

Michael Moore has had a long association with the Salesians
of Don Bosco. He attended Rupertswood Eucharistic Festivals and Don
Bosco Summer Camps as a boy. He has a relative a Salesian priest
and been a visitor to their General House in Rome.